Residents federation's "massive" support for Palma mayor

Antoni Noguera (right) with Joan Forteza of the residents' federation.

Representatives of the Palma federation of residents associations packed the council chamber yesterday in a demonstration of support for the mayor, Antoni Noguera.

The mayor faces a lawsuit brought by the Fevitur national federation for holiday rentals. This is related to the city-wide prohibition of apartment holiday rentals. Noguera is charged with "prevaricación", and so banners held by supporters stated "complying with the popular will is not prevarication".

The federation of residents association raised a popular legislative initiative at a council meeting in 2017. This was accepted and approved at that meeting. It called for there to be a ban on apartment holiday rentals.

Noguera was facing demands from the opposition that he resign because of the lawsuit. He said that he has not been placed under investigation by a court of instruction, as he has had no notification with regard to this. He dismissed the opposition's resignation demand by calling it a "pantomime".

On Twitter, members of Noguera's party, Més, who included the Palma councillor Neus Truyol, congratulated the residents' federation on the "massive" support for Noguera.

Regarding the motion calling for his resignation, the Partido Popular's Marga Duran said that Noguera "cannot continue as mayor as every day that he continues in office he further damages the reputation of the city". Duran added that it was the first time that a mayor had been placed under investigation and suggested that the ethical code of the three parties which form the administration is just "good words and contrary deeds".